The Stone of Broken Hearts
by Proforce
Summary: The one that started the madness! Lady Bane is looking for a way to rid herself of Igthorn's amorous pursuits once and for all. She hits upon a way, but she never gets the chance to use it. What harm can happen with this stone in the wrong hands? Find out


"The Stone of Broken Hearts"   
Author: Robert Brown   
  
Disclaimer: This story uses characters created and copyrighted by Disney   
(except where noted, in which case they were created and   
copyrighted by me or by another and I have permission to use   
them). The author hereby gives permission for this story to be   
downloaded and/or printed at 1 copy per user as long as (1) no   
changes to the story are made without my express written(not   
e-mailed) permission and (2) no attempt is made to profit from   
this story. If either or both rules are violated, it will be   
considered a violation of copyright law.   
  
Author's Note: Well, finally got Francis to give me some time off from writing   
the major 3(Pokémon, Sonic, and Rescue Rangers) to get this one-shot fanfic   
done. Of course, knowing my luck, it won't be a one-shot for long. :) But   
then, I really don't want Francis to kill me. Truth is, this is probably the   
first fanfic idea ever bouncing around inside my head, so it deserves to be   
written down. Here it is; hopefully not too terrible. It's been many years   
since I've seen Gummi Bears, so if a couple facts are off, please forgive me.  
  
On a sadder note, my grandma passed away in the beginning of  
June 2003. She was my last surviving grandparent, and the last to fall to  
cancer. It's a hard time for me, but I'm finding my way through. Thank you  
to all the fans out there. Take care, and till next time, Happy Reading.  
  
Cast of characters (in order of appearance)   
Lady Bane   
Gusto Gummi  
Sunni Gummi   
Princess Calla  
Cavin   
Buddi Barbic  
Gruffi Gummi   
Ursa Barbic   
Gritty Barbic  
Cubbi Gummi  
Tummi Gummi   
Grammi Gummi  
Zummi Gummi   
  
#1   
  
It was a beautiful day in the kingdom of Dunwyn. Winter had ended early   
and the trees and ground were beginning to show green once more. Birds gone   
since last autumn were returned and filled the air with their sweet song.   
Young couples were out enjoying the warmth and the first buds of new love.   
But one person was not enjoying the day; if anything, the day disgusted her.   
"Birthdays, what a joke," Lady Bane sneered, walking through the halls of her   
home. "I can't think of a more useless excuse for a day."  
  
A shudder passed through her form as an unpleasant thought occurred to   
her. "Knowing that fool Igthorn, he'll try to win my heart with all those   
gifts and trinkets. While I'm deserving of everything he tries to do, he'll   
find some way to make a disaster out of it and blame it all on his stupid   
ogres. If only there were some way to end his infatuation with me."   
  
Lady Bane paused and clutched the Gummi medallion she wore about her   
waist as she turned the idea over in her mind. "There must be some spell or   
enchantment to rid me of him," she decided. Nodding to herself, she hurried   
to her study and began to search through one of her many tomes. "Let me see   
now," she muttered, "lust...lupine...lox...ah! Here we are, love."  
  
She scanned through the spells offered, frowning at what she saw. Most  
of these spells were for inducing love or outright forcing it, the absolute  
last thing from her mind. The only ones of mild interest were those that   
could substitute one love for another. She toyed with the idea of making   
Igthorn infatuated with one of those wretched Gummi Bears, but decided even   
she couldn't be that cruel...to the Gummies.  
  
She checked her book of relics next. After sifting through many gems   
designed to detect, increase, or protect love, she finally found something   
that could be useful. "The Stone of Broken Hearts," she read, following the  
words with her finger. "This gem has the power to turn any lovers completely  
indifferent to each other just by holding it together. This is perfect!" As   
she went about gathering the necessary ingredients to enchant such a stone,   
she failed to read the entire description...and find the warning contained   
therein.  
  
As she was preparing her spells, the artist known as Gusto Gummi was   
setting up his easel for a painting later that day. "Glad my paints finally  
defrosted," he thought. "That's what I get for living behind a waterfall   
during winter. Well, it's gotta be better than living at the Glen year round.  
I don't think I could handle being around Gruffi that much." He shuddered  
slightly at that thought.   
  
"Hey! Anyone home?" a familiar voice called from the mouth of his   
cave.  
  
"In the back, Sunni," Gusto called, checking to make sure he had enough   
sun yellow paint. He cocked his head his as he heard more than one set of   
footprints enter. "Brought some company?" he asked turning around.  
  
"You could say that," Sunni said, giggling.   
  
"Cavin! Calla!" Gusto exclaimed, surprised. "What are you two doing   
here?"  
  
"Well, Sunni invited me along to see the painting you were going to do  
of her," Calla explained. "And because my father's been restricting my   
'travels' as he calls them since Igthorn actually took over the castle, he has  
ordered that I only leave the castle with a chaperone. And you know who I  
picked."  
  
"Naturally," Gusto said with a chuckle. "As if there could be anyone  
else."  
  
"It's OK if we stay here, right Gusto?" Cavin asked. "I mean, we   
wouldn't want to impose or anything."  
  
"Nah, perfectly fine Cavin. I know you two won't get in my way."  
  
"Two?" Sunni asked, turning away from the sculpture she was looking at  
to look at her friends. Seeing only Gusto and the humans, a low growl sounded  
in her throat. She stormed to the mouth of the cave and reached out, grabbing  
hold of something in Gusto's elevator.  
  
"Ow!" a male voice that Gusto never heard before said. "Lay off the   
ear, will you?"  
  
"Not until you get in here, Buddi," Sunni answered, pulling the Barbic  
in by his ear. "You were the one who wanted to come along anyway."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Buddi said, gently pulling Sunni's hand off his  
ear and rubbing the affected appendage gently.   
  
"So," Gusto broke in, effectively stopping Buddi from saying anything  
else, "this is the Buddi I've heard so much about."  
  
"Huh? Who told you about me?"  
  
"Why Sunni, of course," Gusto answered as if it were common knowledge.  
"Why, every time she comes here all she can talk about, besides my wonderful  
art, is you."  
  
"Really?" Buddi asked, sounding a touch more hopeful than one might   
expect. "What does she say about me?"  
  
"Umm, hey!" Sunni said suddenly, grabbing Gusto's arm and pulling him   
toward his paints. "Why don't you get set up and tell me how you want me to   
pose. I mean, we wouldn't want to take up more of your valuable time than we   
have to, would we?"  
  
Gusto couldn't help but chuckle at Sunni's rather transparent attempt to   
change the subject, and noticed that Cavin and Calla were doing the same. Out   
of all the Glens, he had to admit he was closest to Sunni, but only in a big   
brother type way. As such, they'd had a number of talks together, especially   
about things she felt she couldn't go to Grammi, Zummi, or Gruffi about.  
  
As of late, those "things" have more often than not focused on her   
developing feelings for the young Barbic. Gusto would keep telling Sunni to   
be honest with Buddi about her feelings. At that point, the yellow bear would   
always turn a bit orange around her cheeks and complain she lacked the   
courage, and no amount of coaxing or convincing could change that. He   
considered telling Buddi for her, but realized if he did so he could damage   
his relationship with Sunni beyond repair.  
  
"Well yeah, but I wanted to hear Buddi play his flute," he said instead.  
"From what you keep saying, he's almost as good a flautist as I am an artist."  
  
"Well, I don't know about that...." Buddi said, turning a bit shy. "I  
don't really get to practice that much anymore since Ursa stepped up my   
training."  
  
"Aww, that's too bad. Say, while you're here you can practice all you  
like. And if you ever need a place to get away for a time, you can always  
come here."  
  
"Gee, thanks Gusto." Buddi said, smiling for the first time since he'd  
been there.  
  
"No problem. After all, we artists gotta stick together you know," he   
said, nudging Buddi in his ribs playfully. "Hey, I just got a great idea!   
Calla, would you mind posing with Sunni? That is, if you could tear yourself  
away from your boyfriend long enough."  
  
Calla blushed bright red and looked sidelong at Cavin to find him doing   
the same. "It's not like that," she protested. "We're just...good friends."  
  
"Yeah, that's right," Cavin said. "Just...friends."  
  
Gusto heard the disappointment present in both their voices and smiled  
behind his easel. "Whatever," he said, faking an uncaring voice. "Now then  
if you two will sit like so. Umm, Sunni, look more to the side. Calla, can  
you drape your braid over your shoulder? No, the other one. Perfect! Stay  
just like that."  
  
While Gusto was busy completing another masterpiece, Gruffi was   
performing routine maintenance on the Quickcar tunnels. "Ahh, nothing like a   
few hours of hard work to build up a good appetite. I hope Grammi has   
something decent today for me to snack on."  
  
As he was packing up his tools, he felt a breeze rush down the tunnel.  
"There shouldn't be any hatches open in this section," he thought. Then he  
heard the distinctive sound of wood scraping against wood. He dived onto the  
platform just as one of the Quickcars pulled in, barely avoiding getting run  
over. "When I get my hands on that maniac," he growled, pushing himself to   
his feet and dusting himself off.  
  
"You'll do what?" A hardened, but decidedly feminine voice asked with a  
sneer.  
  
Gruffi turned around and found himself nearly nose-to-nose with Ursa,   
leader of the clan of Gummies known as the Barbics. "Hmmph, I should've known   
it was you Barbics," he spat. "What's the matter? Forget how to steer   
again?"  
  
Ursa snarled and straightened up, making a point to look down her nose   
at Gruffi. "Better watch that tongue, short stuff," she said, a half-smile on  
her muzzle. "I might just have to rip it out of your mouth one of these   
days."  
  
"Go ahead and try," Gruffi said, his anger rising. Anyone who knew  
Gruffi knew that his height, or lack thereof, was a sore point with him. It  
usually only took one remark about it to get Gruffi fighting mad, something  
rare in the usually levelheaded bear.  
  
"Now now," a male voice said from behind Ursa. "You two are supposed to   
be adults, our leaders even, and you're fighting like a couple of cubs."  
  
Gruffi didn't have to move his gaze from Ursa's to know that the owner   
of that voice was Gritty, Ursa's second in command. "Can't you keep her on a   
leash or something?" he growled.  
  
Ursa grabbed hold of Gruffi's tunic and easily lifted him off the ground  
so that he was face-to-face with her. "I've had just about enough of you!"   
she nearly yelled, her face twisted in a mask of anger. "Who do you think you   
are talking to me like that?"  
  
Gruffi smirked, folding his arms across his chest, over her hands. "If  
you think you're scaring me, think again."  
  
Ursa scowled at him a moment more before dropping him on his backside.  
"Come on, Gritty," she called, stalking away. "Let's get Buddi so we can get  
back to Ursalia."  
  
"Buddi's not here," Gruffi said, standing up and pulling a splinter out  
from where he landed. "Hmm, gotta sand this platform later."  
  
"Not here? Then where is he?"  
  
Gruffi shrugged, examining the platform for more splinters. "He went   
with Sunni, Cavin, and Calla to visit Gusto. Something about Sunni getting   
her portrait painted."  
  
"Hanging out with humans," she grumbled, walking into the Glen proper   
with Gritty close behind. "What's that girl going to get Buddi to do next?"  
  
Gruffi watched her go until she closed the door and then went back to  
gathering his tools. "She thinks she's so intimidating," he thought, tossing  
his tools back in his toolbox harder than needed. "And why? Just because   
she's the tallest bear I've ever seen, probably a better fighter than some of  
the Knights of Gummadoon, and absolutely gorgeous...?"   
  
The hammer fell from Gruffi's hand and dropped on his foot at that   
thought, but he didn't even notice. "Gorgeous? Where did that come from?   
OK Gruffi, maybe you need to go lay down...you're obviously delusional,   
especially since you're talking to yourself."  
  
If he had been paying more attention to what was going on around him, he  
could have heard the sound of flesh striking stone over and over. Ursa was   
taking her frustrations out on one of the tunnel walls while Gritty looked on,  
a faintly amused expression on his face. "That arrogant bear," she growled,  
punching the wall hard enough to shake loose some dirt from the ceiling. "How  
dare he stand up to me like that?"  
  
"Yeah, who'd have thought he actually had it in him?" Gritty said,   
turning the chuckle that threatened to emerge into a cough.   
  
Ursa punched the wall again, nearly cracking the stones this time.   
"That self-centered," punch, "pompous," another punch, "egotistical," harder  
punch, "annoying," cracked the stone that time.  
  
"Handsome?" Gritty supplied with a smile.  
  
"Handsome," Ursa repeated without thinking, about to unleash a punch  
that would bury her arm in the stone up to her elbow. But just before her  
fist made contact with the defenseless stone, she realized what she said and  
stopped herself. She looked around quickly to see if anyone heard her, a   
slight blush staining her cheeks.  
  
Gritty tried to hold it in, but he couldn't hold back the laugh that  
echoed through the tunnel. That is, until he felt the point of Ursa's sword  
at his throat. "That was really low Gritty," she said between clenched teeth.  
"What if he had heard?"  
  
Gritty shoved the sword away and laughed again. "What's the matter?  
Afraid he'll find out the truth?"  
  
"I knew it was a mistake to tell you," she said, walking away as she  
sheathed her sword.  
  
Gritty waited until his laughs died down to follow after her; no need  
to tempt fate. Unlike Gruffi, who stood up to her because he was just as   
stubborn and had no fear, Gritty stood up to her because he could. They had  
been best friends for a long time, since before they were both Buddi's age.   
One time, they had even tried to be more than that.  
  
Gritty's eye narrowed in memory. That had been a disaster. Oh, the   
date went all right, just as they'd both hoped. The good night kiss, however,  
had been a nightmare. While there was nothing wrong with it exactly, they had  
both agreed afterward that it had been like kissing a sibling instead of a  
lover. That knowledge had forever sealed their relationship as friends.  
  
Ursa had never even considered anyone else that way...until they had met  
the Glens. From the first moment she met Gruffi, those two together were as  
volatile as a torch and oil. But since that first argument, Gritty had   
noticed a spark in Ursa's eyes, one he hadn't seen since the days before the  
humans had driven them out of Barbic Woods, one only he used to be able to   
bring to her eyes. It had been even more obvious when, while tearing apart  
that horn, Gruffi had actually made Ursa smile. Not a cruel smile either, a  
smile from her heart.  
  
It didn't take a genius to figure out what was happening: Ursa was   
falling for Gruffi and falling hard. Whenever he caught her deep in thought,  
Gritty would always tease her that she was thinking about "that bear from the   
Glen." Granted, Ursa did try to deny it at first, but she never could keep a   
secret long from him. The final straw, however, came when Dunwyn Castle had   
been taken over by that band of ogres and their human leader Igthorn. When   
Gruffi had gotten her to agree to help the humans, something she'd sworn to   
never do, Gritty knew he was wrong. She wasn't falling for Gruffi anymore;   
she had fallen for him.  
  
Now the only problem which presented itself was how to get her to tell  
Gruffi. Gritty knew that while Ursa could be brave in a lot of things,   
matters of the heart were not among them. Even with Buddi, a cub she had   
raised as her own, she found it hard to express her true feelings. But that  
was another matter, he told himself as he finally caught up to Ursa in the  
Glen proper.  
  
The afternoon soon passed to early evening, and then to just before   
sunset. In that time, Lady Bane had finished her incantations and was riding  
to Drekmore. "I can't believe I'm willingly going there," she thought,   
looking at the perfectly round, crystal clear stone in her hands. "But if   
everything goes as planned, I'll never have to see that place again."  
  
So lost was she in her thoughts of a life without Igthorn, she was   
nearly thrown from her seat in the carriage when it suddenly stopped. "What  
is the meaning of this?" she demanded of the troggle driving the carriage.  
  
The troggle chattered nervously, pointing ahead to a cart that was stuck  
in the middle of the road. Three men were working to free it while two women   
were standing off to the side. "Get out of my way this instant!" Lady Bane   
demanded.  
  
"Beggin' your pardon, your ladyship," one of the men said, looking over  
his shoulder to talk to her. "We'll be out of your way as soon as we can get  
our cart free from this mud."  
  
"Enough of this," Lady Bane snarled, grasping hold of the Gummi   
medallion that hung at her waist. With a curse, she hurled a bolt of magic at  
the cart, reducing it to splinters and throwing the peasants to the ground.  
"That will teach you not to obey me," she said, lifting her nose to look down   
at them. When the men got up and looked like they were going to attack, she  
simply laughed. "Fools," she thought, calling up her magic once more, "do   
they really think they can defeat me?"  
  
In a nearby part of the forest, a crimson clad figure stood on top of a  
high branch, keeping lookout over his forest. "I really hope there'll be some  
action tonight," he thought, adjusting the hat he wore so that the pink   
feather wasn't in his face. "Maybe I should patrol another area."  
  
He grabbed hold of a nearby vine and set himself to swing away when he   
heard a woman scream. "Finally, some action," he thought, resetting himself  
to swing toward the scream. "Time to make evil pay for being evil in this  
forest."  
  
As he swung closer, he could hear a group of people running, as well as  
a laugh that he could only describe properly as a cackle. "I know that laugh  
from somewhere," he thought, coming to stop on a branch of a tree that lined  
the path.   
  
The sight before him was gruesome. Trees charred by magical blasts lay   
across the path, slowly burning to ash. Broken farm tools, possibly used to  
defend their owners, lay scattered in so many pieces you couldn't tell what   
part came from what tool. Ripped and tattered clothing, spattered with drying  
blood, fluttered in the wind from where they lay. And amidst it all stood a  
woman laughing at the destruction, her back to him. "That will teach them,"   
she snarled, wiping her hands.  
  
His eyes hardened and he drew his wooden sword. "Stop right there," he   
called out, startling the woman into turning around and looking at him, which   
in turn startled him. "Lady Bane!" he gasped.  
  
"Well, I'm glad to see my reputation precedes me," she said, composing  
herself with a smirk. "But I'm afraid I don't know who you are."  
  
"Why me, I'm the Crimson Avenger," he said, pointing his sword at her,   
"and I'm sworn to protect the forest from evildoers like you."  
  
"Ah yes, the Crimson Avenger. I have indeed heard of you. Forgive me  
if I'm underwhelmed. Troggles!" she yelled, causing the one who was driving   
the carriage to show up with a couple of his brethren. "Get him!"  
  
Cubbi, in his guise as the Crimson Avenger, had anticipated this. He   
jumped down from the branch, drinking a bottle of Gummiberry juice as he fell.  
As soon as the troggles reached for him the juice took effect and he bounced  
off their heads, getting all three to fall down in a heap.  
  
He looked back over his shoulder to make sure the troggles weren't   
chasing him when he got stopped short by someone yanking on his cape. "When  
you want something done right," Lady Bane began, lifting Cubbi up in the air.  
  
But Cubbi was also ready for this. He'd been the Crimson Avenger for   
some time now, and more than one varlot had grabbed hold of his cape. He   
kicked Lady Bane in the shin, getting her to drop him even though she still   
held onto the cape. As soon as he hit the ground he sprang up and around,   
flipping over Lady Bane's head. But because Lady Bane was still holding the   
cape, he had effectively wrapped it around her head.   
  
Lady Bane struggled to get free, one of her arms pinned by the cape and  
therefore unable to cast any spells. Cubbi quickly bounced up and kicked her  
in her posterior, making her stumble forward, landing hard in her carriage.  
The troggles, seeing their mistress in trouble, acted quickly to get her out   
of there. They hopped on the carriage and snapped the horses' reins, causing  
them to gallop away at full speed.  
  
"No, stop!" Lady Bane ordered, though with her voice muffled the  
troggles could not hear her.  
  
"And don't bring your evil here ever again!" Cubbi called after the   
retreating carriage. He bounced once, preparing to take to the trees when a  
glint of light caught his eye. He walked over and saw it was a gem, seeming  
to be high quality at that. "This must have dropped out of Lady Bane's   
carriage," he realized. "I'd better get Zummi to take a look at it."  
  
Cubbi bounced over to a nearby stump just as the Juice wore off. He   
stomped on a small knot of wood and the stump opened, revealing a tunnel into  
the Glen. He jumped down into the tunnel and it closed up behind him, looking  
to all the world like it was just an ordinary stump once more.  
  
But Cubbi had made a critical mistake. The entrance tunnels he wanted   
led directly to his room, a necessity for a secret identity. But the tunnel   
he used led to the central room in the Glen under the lake. Even with the   
mistake, he figured he'd be able to slip through it and into his room without   
anyone seeing him with how late it was. What he didn't realize, however, was   
that a pair of Gummies and a pair of humans had just recently returned to the   
Glen...and were being yelled at for coming back so late.  
  
"Gruffi, if you would please just listen to me," Sunni pleaded.  
  
"There's no excuse for being out this late," Gruffi said, arms folded  
across his chest. "By Gum! You know how dangerous the forest can be this   
time of night. You had all of us here worried sick about you."  
  
"But you knew I was with Gusto."  
  
"Precisely why I was so worried."  
  
"Oh, go easy on her Gruffi," Grammi said calmly, trying to soothe   
everyone's frayed nerves. "You know she didn't mean any harm."  
  
"I will do no such thing. Sunni has got to learn to respect the rules  
better. They are here for a reason you know."  
  
"And you," Ursa said, advancing on Buddi as Gruffi and Grammi continued  
to argue. "You promised me we'd be back in Ursalia by sunset. Instead, I   
come here to find out you're with humans! I thought I taught you better than   
that."  
  
"Ease up, Ursa," Buddi said, then gulped as he got glared at. "I just  
meant that.... Well...."  
  
"Go ahead, tell me what you meant," Ursa said, folding her own arms   
under her chest.   
  
"Not all humans are bad Ursa," Buddi said after a moment. "And being  
with Cavin is like being with another Barbic."  
  
"Yeah Ursa, I passed your 'Test of Bearhood', remember?" Cavin brought  
up. "By your own laws, I'm as much a Barbic as Buddi here."  
  
Ursa gnashed her teeth but stayed quiet. After all, they were telling   
the truth. Once Cavin passed the Test, he became part of their clan, whether  
he was human or not. That day, for the first time ever, Ursa had gained a   
measure of true respect for a human. And whether she liked it or not, it had  
begun to change her.  
  
Any further thoughts were interrupted when one of the tunnel exits   
opened and the smallest Gummi tumbled out into the room. "I gotta stop doing  
that," he muttered, getting to his feet and dusting himself off.   
  
"Cubbi!"   
  
The voice caused Cubbi to jump in shock and whirl around, realizing for   
the first time that he was not alone. "Umm, hi everyone," he said, pulling   
off his hat and mask and hiding them behind his back.  
  
"I thought I told you to get rid of that stupid Crimson Avenger   
costume," Gruffi said heatedly, his bad mood just getting worse. "You can't  
keep playing at things like this. You're going to get yourself hurt one of  
these days."  
  
"Gruffi!" Cubbi whined. "I already told you. I am the Crimson Avenger  
for real! I swear I'm not joking around."  
  
"Save it kid," Gruffi said, holding up a hand. "I don't want to hear  
anymore--"  
  
"But he's right Gruffi," Tummi said, stepping forward and surprising  
everyone. "Cubbi really is the Crimson Avenger."  
  
"And just how do you know that Tummi Gummi?" Grammi asked, putting her  
hands on her hips.  
  
"I find out right about when he was starting out and I...." Tummi   
blushed for a moment before continuing. "I was his sidekick for a while."  
  
"I'm surprised at you Tummi. Letting Cubbi go out like that and even  
encouraging him."  
  
"Hey!" Cubbi spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "Don't talk about  
me like I'm not here. You guys never want to listen to me. Can't you see   
this is something I have to do?"  
  
"But Cubbi dear," Grammi began.  
  
"No Grammi," Cubbi interrupted, "I have to do this. Don't you remember?  
Calla made me the protector of the forest, and I have to do what the princess  
says, don't I?"  
  
All eyes, even the Barbic ones, turned to a blushing Calla. "Well, I   
didn't think he'd take it quite so seriously," she began lamely. Seeing the  
hurt look on Cubbi's face, she quickly added, "But I'm glad he did.   
Everyone talks so much about all the Crimson Avenger has done, and some   
bandits have even turned themselves in for fear of meeting the Avenger."  
  
"Besides, as a sworn knight of Gummadoon, I have to uphold every promise  
I make," Cubbi said proudly.  
  
"You, a knight of Gummadoon?" Ursa asked, completely incredulous.   
"Why do you let him believe in such nonsense?"  
  
"But it's not nonsense Ursa," Zummi said, stepping into the room. "He  
was in fact made a gight of Knummadon...err, I mean knight of Gummadoon. We  
were fortunate enough to see him get knighted, as well as to hear them   
recognize Cavin as one just before they disappeared again."  
  
"A Barbic, and a knight of Gummadoon?" Gritty asked, shaking his head  
with a laugh. "Man kid, you're turning out to be more of a Gummi than some   
bears I know."  
  
Ursa pounded her fist into her palm, trying to control her anger. The  
situation here had gotten well out of her control, something she hated above  
most everything else. "We'd better get going," she said abruptly, turning  
around. "I'll decide your punishment when we get back."  
  
"You can't leave," Gruffi said quickly, a little too quickly because   
everyone suddenly turned to look at him. "I mean, it's not safe. Because  
some bears interrupted me in my maintenance, I don't know if I got all the  
rough spots taken care of."  
  
"Great, so we're stuck here and you're blaming it on us?" Ursa demanded  
as she advanced on Gruffi.  
  
"That's exactly where the blame should be," Gruffi said, glaring right  
back at her.  
  
Cubbi realized that this was probably his best chance to get to his room  
and took it, tiptoeing away. It would've worked just fine, if that gem he had  
recovered from Lady Bane hadn't chosen that exact moment to fall from his   
pocket and clatter noisily on the wooden floor.  
  
"What's this?" Buddi asked, picking it up as it rolled near his feet.  
  
"Hey, that's pretty," Sunni said, looking over his shoulder. "Can I see  
it?" Buddi turned around and handed it to her with a shrug. As soon as both   
their hands were holding it, the gem began to glow with a harsh pink light.  
They dropped it in surprise and the light faded as the gem hit the ground.   
"Wh...what just happened?" Sunni asked, taking a slight step closer to Buddi.  
  
"I'm not sure," Buddi admitted, taking a step closer to Sunni as well.  
  
"Easy with that," Cubbi said, hurrying over and picking it up. "I found  
this tonight after I sent Lady Bane running."  
  
"You faced Lady Bane all by yourself?" Tummi asked, amazed. "Wow,   
you're getting better at this every night."  
  
"Don't encourage him Tummi," Gruffi said, walking up and snatching the   
gem from Cubbi.  
  
"Hey!" Cubbi yelled, trying to get it back.   
  
"This might be dangerous. We have no idea what it can do so I'm not  
about to let a cub handle it."  
  
"Then what are you doing holding it?" Ursa asked, walking over with a   
smirk on her muzzle. "Let a real bear hold it." As she grabbed it from  
Gruffi, the gem glowed again, brighter than before. But unlike last time, the  
gem didn't drop to the floor. "What is going on here?" Ursa wondered aloud,  
peering at the gem closely. "Hey, it looks like there's something in there."  
  
"There wasn't anything in there before," Cubbi said, trying to get a   
look at the gem.   
  
"Hmmph. She's probably just seeing things," Gruffi muttered, making a   
grab for the gem.  
  
Ursa moved her arm away quickly, too quickly to keep a grip on the stone  
however as the gem went flying. Cavin reacted instinctively, diving to catch  
it. The wood floor scraped the back of his hand up as he caught it. "Got   
it," he said, getting to his feet but wincing as he moved his injured hand.  
  
"Let me take a look at that Cavin," Calla said, taking her hand in his  
and turning it over to inspect the scratches. Her hand brushed against the  
gem he held and it glowed pink for a third time, startling them.   
  
"Can...I see that Cavin?" Zummi asked carefully, a worried look   
beginning to appear on his face.  
  
"Umm, sure Zummi," Cavin said, handing over the gem as Calla tied her  
kerchief around his hand to stop the bleeding.   
  
Zummi adjusted his spectacles as he peered at the gem. There were   
indeed some things inside the gem, three small pink hearts that seemed to be   
faintly beating. "I know I've seen something like this before," he thought,   
rubbing his chin. "I'd better go look in the Great Book. I'll keep this on   
me," he finished aloud, walking toward the library.   
  
"Great," Gruffi said, recovering from the awkwardness. "I trust him  
even less with it than I trust Cubbi."  
  
"Oh come on Gruffi," Grammi huffed, clearly annoyed. "Look, it's   
getting late and we should all be in bed. That includes little Crimson  
Avengers," she added, glancing at Cubbi as he had almost made it out the door.  
"We will be talking about this in the morning."  
  
"Aww nuts," Cubbi said, walking toward his room with his head bowed.  
  
"We should be heading back too," Cavin said, pretending not to notice  
that Calla had yet to let go of his hand. "King Gregor won't like it if his  
daughter isn't back soon."  
  
"I'll go with you," Sunni offered, jumping away from a confused Buddi.  
"We've been having some trouble with the tunnel to the castle and the forest  
can get confusing at night."  
  
"I'll go with you too," Gruffi said, ignoring Sunni's glare. "You   
think I trust you enough to come back? If I don't come with you, you'll try  
to stay overnight."  
  
Sunni sighed, knowing she was caught. "All right Gruffi," she said with  
a sigh. "Come on, we'd better be going."  
  
"Thank you again for having us by," Calla said as she walked out, waving  
to her friends with her free hand.   
  
"You know you're always welcome here Calla," Grammi said with a smile.  
"You too Cavin."  
  
"I know Grammi," Cavin said. "I'll be back tomorrow. Just don't be too  
hard on Cubbi."  
  
"I won't dear, I promise."  
  
Ursa watched the humans and bears go with a slight snarl. "Well, if   
we're staying we'll need a place to sleep," she spat angrily.  
  
"I'm sure Gruffi will be happy to share...I mean find a bed for you,"  
Gritty said off-handedly, immediately ducking to avoid the expected swing of  
Ursa's fist. When it didn't come however, he glanced at Ursa and found her  
whole face red, but he couldn't be sure if it was the blush of embarrassment   
or the flush of anger.  
  
"I think I'll be leaving now," Tummi said, hurrying toward his room and  
slamming the door quickly.  
  
Gritty blanched and started to back up. He had forgotten the other Glen  
Gummies were still in the room. Now they knew Ursa's secret, and he was a   
dead bear.   
  
Ursa started to run after Gritty but was stopped by a gentle hand on her  
arm. "I think we need to have a talk," Grammi said, using the same voice that  
commanded respect from all the Glens.  
  
Ursa tried to pull her arm free, but her weak attempt was barely enough  
to move Grammi's hand an inch. "All right," she whispered, head down. "Maybe  
it's time I told someone about this."  
  
Buddi snuck out of the room and wandered the halls of the Glen. He had  
seen the look on Ursa's face as her head went down and it bothered him. She  
looked vulnerable, lost, almost scared. Never had she looked like that as far  
as he knew. He just couldn't grasp the fact that Ursa wasn't always as strong  
as she seemed to be, but yet he'd seen it with his own eyes.  
  
It was strange though. For years he'd wanted to see Ursa's softer side,  
a side he knew she had but had hidden deep long before he'd ever been born.   
Only now that he had, he wished that it had remained buried all along. It was  
hard enough to see her as vulnerable, but to find out in the same moment that  
she was in love with Gruffi? "I feel like my head is going to explode," Buddi  
moaned, rubbing his temples gently.  
  
Outside the Glen, the group of two bears and two humans were making good  
time back to Dunwyn Castle. Sunni and Calla were chatting about their day at  
Gusto's since they had left the Glen and had yet to run out of things to talk  
about. "Do those two ever stop?" Gruffi asked Cavin in an undertone.  
  
"If they ever do, I'll let you know," Cavin whispered back with a smile.  
  
Gruffi smiled a little as well, but quickly hid it under a scowl. He   
couldn't quite remember when he became fond of the young human, but Gruffi   
could no longer deny that he was as much a member of the Glen as much as he  
was. It surprised him to remember that he was originally as trusting of   
humans as Ursa, but at least he had been willing to change. Well, either that  
or be on the business end of one of Grammi's frying pans.   
  
Gruffi looked up as he heard the chattering increase. But then he   
realized it wasn't Sunni and Calla talking that he heard; this chattering was  
more animalistic. "Troggles!" he shouted just before they burst out of the  
surrounding foliage. "Look out!"  
  
They all reached for their phials of gummiberry juice, but they were   
blown from their hands by a magical wind. They tried to fight the troggles   
off, but they were overwhelmed with the sheer numbers of troggles. "What's   
going on here?" Cavin demanded, looking around.  
  
"I'll give you three guesses as to whose behind this," Gruffi said,   
peering ahead on the darkened path. "And the first two don't count."  
  
Calla gasped as she made the connection. "Lady Bane!" she said, her  
eyes widening.  
  
"Quite right, Princess," Lady Bane said as she drove up in her carriage.  
"Seems my patience has paid off quite nicely. Now then, if you'll just hand  
over my stone, I'll be on my way."  
  
"Stone? What stone?" Gruffi asked, though he knew exactly what she was  
referring to.  
  
"Do not play games with me," Lady Bane snarled, gripping her Gummi   
amulet tightly. "I know that the Crimson Avenger works for you. Why else   
would he have had this?" she asked, holding up an empty glass bottle.  
  
"Careless kid," Gruffi muttered. "We don't have your stone," he said  
loudly. "And even if we did, we wouldn't give it to a witch like you."  
  
"Fine, be that way," Lady Bane smirked. "Troggles, bring them with us!  
All except for her," she added, pointing at the princess. "If you want your  
friends back, you'd better tell the other Gummies to bring my stone back to my  
castle. Of course, you could just tell your father about it. I'm sure he'd   
love to hear all about your friends."  
  
Calla watched helplessly as Lady Bane rode off laughing with Gruffi,   
Sunni, and Cavin being dragged along behind. "Oh no," she whispered. "What   
should I do?" She thought about going after them herself, but knew she had no  
chance against both Lady Bane and her troggles. With a last glance at her   
friends, she ran back down the path that led to the Glen.  
  
As fast as she ran, it seemed an eternity before she reached the tunnel  
leading inside. Stomping on the knot that made the stump open, she dove down   
into the darkness feet first. Barreling through the entry door, Calla hit her  
feet running. "Somebody help!" she yelled as she ran. "Where is everybody?"  
  
"What's all the racket?" Gritty asked, poking his head out of the room  
he'd found for the night.   
  
"Lady Bane," Calla gasped, trying to catch her breath. "She...captured  
the others. She wants...her stone back or...else."  
  
"She's got Sunni?" Buddi asked, rounding a nearby hallway and skidding  
to a stop in front of Calla.  
  
"Sunni, Cavin, and Gruffi," Calla said after a final deep breath. "We  
have to rescue them."  
  
"I'll get the others," Buddi said, running off again.  
  
"You'd better come inside and sit down kid," Gritty said gruffly. "You  
won't help anyone if you pass out."  
  
It didn't take long for word to spread and soon all the present Gummies  
had gathered in Gruffi's room. They all listened intently as Calla recounted   
what had happened, down to the last detail. "This is all my fault," a pajama  
wearing Cubbi said, looking down. "Maybe Gruffi was right after all. I don't  
deserve to be the Crimson Avenger."  
  
"Time and place Cubbi," Grammi said, wringing her hands. "What we have  
to focus on now is getting them out of there. If she's willing to go to this   
extreme to get her stone back, there's no telling what she wants it for. All  
I know is she's not going to get it."  
  
"You're gight, Rammi. I mean, you're right Grammi," Zummi stuttered.   
"I haven't been able to find exactly what this stone is enchanted to do, but I  
know it's powerful magic."  
  
"That settles it then," Ursa said, drawing her sword. "We attack her   
and get our...I mean your friends back," she amended, hoping no one caught her  
slip. But from the looks she was getting, she knew they all had.  
  
"Now hold on a minute Ursa," Grammi said as Zummi ducked back out to   
continue his research. "If we just go charging in there, she could do away   
with everyone before we even got close. We have to plan this out right."  
  
"Bah, we have no time for plans," Ursa said, slamming the sword's hilt   
into the wall. "While we're waiting here, this Lady Bane could be doing away  
with them. We have to move now!"  
  
"Remember, she wants that stone from us. She thinks she'll have a   
better chance of getting it if she keeps them alive and unharmed. We have to   
take advantage of that."  
  
"And just how do you propose we do that?" Ursa snarled, but her   
attention was clearly focused on Grammi.  
  
Grammi smiled an uncharacteristically devious smile, one no one in that  
room had seen. "Listen to me, and I'll tell you what we'll do."  
  
While Grammi laid out her plans, Lady Bane had just finished securing   
her "guests" into their accommodations. "I hope you don't mind the rusty   
manacles too much," she said as if talking about the softness of a bedsheet.   
"It is dreadfully hard to keep up with the upkeep of a dungeon after all."  
  
"You're never going to get away with this," Cavin said, trying to pull   
his chains free of the wall.   
  
"Such naivete," Bane smirked. "Trust me boy, I already have. Your  
friends are too goody-goody to try anything while I have you here. They won't  
risk me harming you. Which, by the way, is exactly what will happen if I   
don't get my stone. You see that mark on the ceiling?" she asked, pointing  
up at a pentacle carved into the stone.   
  
"What about it?" Gruffi grumped, as if not really caring.  
  
"If anyone steps foot inside this room except for me and my troggles,   
that mark will cause the ceiling to drop and crush everyone inside. So either   
way, I win."  
  
"And how do we know you'll let us go even if you do get your stone?"  
Sunni demanded.  
  
Lady Bane stooped over to be face-to-face with Sunni. "You don't. Now  
if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare for my upcoming guests. Now don't go  
anywhere," she laughed, walking out of the room and slamming the door closed  
behind her.  
  
"Hmmph, didn't even bother to lock the door," Gruffi noted.  
  
"Like she has to?" Cavin pointed out. "Remember what she said."  
  
"She's bluffing."  
  
"But what if she's not? Do you really want to risk everyone getting   
killed?"  
  
Gruffi looked down as he thought about that. "There's not much we can  
do about it either way," he said finally. "We all know once Calla tells the  
others they'll try to rescue us. All we can do is warn them when they show   
up."  
  
Sunni slumped down in her chains as far as she could. How had such a   
beautiful day come to this? There was no answer, but she knew that Gruffi  
was telling the truth. All they could do now was wait.  
  
Back in the Glen, Ursa sat back in her chair. "That's a crazy plan,"  
she said, rubbing her eyes. Then she laughed out loud, a rich, deep laugh.  
"So crazy, it might just work. Are you sure you don't have any Barbic blood  
in you? But if we're going to do it," she continued, stopping Grammi before  
she could answer, "we need to do it now, before sunrise."  
  
"You don't know how right you are," Zummi said quietly as he walked into  
the room. "If we don't get them back by sunrise, there will be very grave   
consequences."  
  
"What's so important about sunrise?" Gritty asked.  
  
"This stone is called the Stone of Hoken Brearts...I mean, Stone of  
Broken Hearts," Zummi explained. "It is an ancient and terrible spell that  
Lady Bane has cast on this gem. See these three hearts contained in the  
stone? At sunrise, they'll shatter, completely breaking the hearts of those  
they represent."  
  
"Just what are you saying Zummi?" Grammi demanded, snatching the stone  
from him to get a closer look at it. Zummi realized what she was doing a   
moment too late to keep it from her grasp. And in that moment when both held  
the stone, a fourth heart joined the other three within the gem. "Wait, I  
thought you said there were only three hearts in here. I see four."  
  
Zummi looked down at his suddenly trembling hands. "According to the  
Great Book," he started, his voice trembling, "a heart appears in the stone  
when two creatures touch the stone who are in love with each other, but only  
if that love is not known to them. And if those hearts break, then the love  
is destroyed for all time and can never be found again."  
  
Silence blanketed the room, heavy and oppressing, as everyone slowly  
allowed Zummi's words to sink in. "How long?" Grammi demanded finally. "How  
long have you felt like this Zummi?"  
  
"A long, long time Grammi," Zummi answered, his voice faltering again.  
"Possibly as long as you have loved me. Remember, the feeling must be mutual  
for the heart to appear."  
  
Grammi looked down at the stone in her hand. "I...I had no idea Zummi.  
I thought you just wanted to be friends...."  
  
"So did I Grammi, so did I. I think we've both played the fool long  
enough, don't you?"  
  
Grammi nodded, still looking at the stone. "And yet, now it's too late.  
At sunrise, it will all be over, won't it?"  
  
"Not quite," Zummi said, his voice getting stronger. "The spell can be  
broken if the love that caused the heart to form is openly acknowledged and  
affirmed."  
  
"But we just acknowledged it," Grammi protested. "I still see four   
hearts in here."  
  
Zummi smiled sadly. "I said acknowledged and affirmed, Grammi. In   
order to truly affirm it, it must be sealed with...with love's first kiss."  
  
Grammi immediately blushed scarlet, as did Buddi, Calla, and even Ursa.  
"How do we know that it will even work?" Ursa asked after a moment.  
  
"At least you're not denying it anymore," Gritty said, trying to lighten  
the mood.  
  
Ursa glared at Gritty, but her glare had no fire behind it. She turned  
back to look at Zummi and was surprised to see him placing a soft, gentle, but  
definitely loving kiss on Grammi's lips. Grammi looked surprised for only a  
second before returning the kiss in kind. At the exact moment she did, the   
stone lit up with a pink light. But unlike the harshness of the earlier burst  
of light, this one warm and soothing. And when it faded after Grammi and   
Zummi moved apart, it was clear that one of the hearts had indeed faded from   
the stone. "What are we waiting for then?" Ursa asked, her face set in firm  
resolve as she stood.  
  
"Hold on," Calla said, opening the door and hurrying out. "I'll be   
right back."  
  
"Where is that fool girl going? We don't have time for this."  
  
"Easy Ursa," Buddi said, getting out of his chair and walking next to   
her. "I'm sure Calla knows how serious this is. If she's up to something,  
you can bet it's to help us rescue the others."  
  
Ursa looked down at Buddi and sighed. "For the first time Buddi, I wish  
I could be as trusting of humans as you are."  
  
The minutes passed slowly as they waited for Calla to return. Or at   
least, they did for Ursa. "If she's not back in five more minutes, we leave   
without her," Ursa threatened.  
  
"I'm back," Calla said, striding confidently into the room.   
  
Ursa turned to her with a scathing comment on her lips, but that died as  
soon as she saw her. Calla had somehow found a full suit of light plate armor  
made to fit her with a helmet and visor in the shape of a bear's face. A   
sword lay strapped to her side while a bow and a quiver full of arrows were   
slung across her back. "Are we ready to go or not?" Calla asked, her voice  
as hard as Ursa's.  
  
"Hmmph. You shouldn't dress as a warrior if you're not one."  
  
Almost faster than Ursa could see, Calla whipped off her bow, nocked an  
arrow, and fired it. Before she could dodge out of the way, the arrow knocked  
off her own helmet and sent it flying into the wall. "I am as dangerous with   
a bow as they come," Calla stated calmly. "And I defeated my father, the   
king, in sword combat. Believe me when I tell you I know what I'm doing."  
  
Ursa stared into Calla's eyes and Calla stared right back. The fire in   
the human's eyes made Ursa smirk. She couldn't believe it, but she was   
actually seeing a younger version of herself in the princess. "Let's get   
going," she said, picking up her helmet and placing it back on her head. "We  
only have a couple hours till sunrise and there's no way I'm going to let this  
witch destroy my love before I even get to enjoy it."  
  
Buddi and Calla nodded, moving toward the door behind Ursa. "Hey, are  
the rest of you coming or not?" Buddi asked as he walked out the door.  
  
"Too bad it had to come to this," Gritty muttered as he headed out the   
door with Grammi, Zummi, and Tummi close behind.   
  
Cubbi watched them go, his eyes full of sadness. According to Grammi's  
plan, he was supposed to remain behind. With everything else that happened,   
he hadn't been able to plead his case to them. "Great," he thought, dropping  
out of the chair to his feet. "It's my fault and I can't even try to make it  
right. Well, Cubbi can't," he realized, a smile growing on his face, "but  
they never said the Crimson Avenger couldn't."  
  
Far away from the Glen, Cavin slumped down in his chains after yet   
another try to break them. "We have to get out of here," he muttered,   
breathing slowly to calm himself down.  
  
"Give it a rest kid," Gruffi said, shifting slightly. Yet even that  
slight movement was enough to make his chains rattle. "They'll all be here  
soon enough and we'll need our strength for our voices."  
  
Cavin sighed and looked over at a slumbering Sunni. "Poor Sunni," he  
whispered. "She's cried herself to sleep."  
  
"Let her sleep till we need her. It's good at least one of us can get  
some sleep in all this."  
  
Cavin nodded as he got his feet under him again. "Why don't you get   
some sleep Gruffi? I'll keep watch out."  
  
Gruffi just shook his head, not even bothering to answer Cavin. But   
then, he didn't know just how to answer him. How could he say that every  
time he closed his eyes, he was assaulted with the image of Ursa being   
crushed in her attempt to save them? How could he explain that this image  
made his heart want to shatter and his eyes want to cry just as Sunni had?  
How could Cavin understand it when Gruffi could even admit the truth to   
himself?  
  
Ursa sat in the driver's seat in the Quickcar that also held Calla and  
Buddi, pushing it as fast as it could go. The car with Grammi, Zummi, Gritty,   
and Tummi had branched off a few moments ago heading for the front of Lady   
Bane's castle while she and the others headed for the back. "I just hope this  
works," she muttered, mentally urging the Quickcar to go faster.  
  
"It will Ursa," Buddi said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We just   
have to be in position when the time comes."  
  
"We will be," Calla said, ducking under a low hanging stalactite. "We  
will be."  
  
The mood wasn't nearly as quiet as the other Quickcar pulled into the  
platform. "Everyone remember what they're supposed to do?" Grammi asked,   
helping Zummi out of his seat.  
  
"You know she's going to double cross us, don't you?" Gritty asked,  
adjusting his eyepatch.  
  
"I'm counting on it," Grammi said as they emerged from underground.   
"The longer she's fighting with us, the more time the others have to free our   
friends. A bunch of troggles shouldn't be a match for us when we know they're   
coming."  
  
"Ursa's right, you would make a good Barbic," Gritty laughed.   
  
"We'll discuss that later," Zummi said, coming to a stop. "We're here.  
Cover your ears for a moment," he added, pulling a piece of paper out of his  
hat. "Mumake vumoice lumoud! Lady Bane!" he yelled in a voice ten times   
louder than even Ursa could make. "We've brought your stone. Now bring our  
friends out and we'll make a trade!"  
  
"Perfect," Lady Bane said, smiling down from her tower. She hurried  
down to the gate flanked by a number of her troggles. "Where is the Stone?"  
  
"Our friends first," Grammi said, taking the Stone from her apron.  
  
"Do you take me for a fool?" Lady Bane demanded. "If I bring your  
friends out, you'll attack and take them before I can stop you. Give me the  
Stone and you can have your friends back."  
  
"And do you think we're fools?" Tummi demanded in his own right. "We  
give you the stone and we'll never see our friends again."  
  
"It seems we're at an impasse," Lady Bane said, looking down at her   
fingernails. "But unlike you, I can make another Stone. You can't make new  
friends."  
  
"If you could do that, you would've done it already," Zummi pointed   
out. "The ingredients for making this Stone are rare. In fact, I'll wager  
you'd have to wait five years before forging a new one."  
  
Lady Bane gnashed her teeth together for a moment before forcing herself  
to calm down. "I'm sure we can reach some sort of agreement," she said with  
a false smile.  
  
"Oh, we'll reach an agreement all right," Grammi muttered under her   
breath as Zummi started arguing over the terms of their agreement.  
  
While Lady Bane was distracted, the other group made their way around  
back toward the dungeons. They called quietly at each window they saw, but  
no one answered. "We'll never find them at this rate," Ursa grumbled, casting  
her eyes toward the eastern horizon where stars were just beginning to wink   
out in anticipation on the coming daybreak.  
  
"I thought Barbics didn't give up," Calla taunted as she checked another  
window.  
  
"We don't," Ursa snarled in frustration. "But then, what would a human  
know about--"  
  
"Ursa?" a quiet voice came from the grating near her feet.  
  
"Gruffi?" Ursa asked, nearly throwing herself on the ground to bring   
her face down to that window. What she saw appalled her. Gruffi, Sunni, and   
Cavin were hanging limply from their manacled arms, with Sunni only now   
beginning to stir from her unrestful slumber. "By the Great Gummies, what   
has she done to you?"  
  
"We're...we're fine," Gruffi tried to reassure her. "She hasn't touched  
us yet."  
  
"And she won't," Calla promised, kneeling down beside Ursa. "We're   
going to get you out of there now."  
  
"No," Cavin said, his voice cracking from the dryness in his throat.   
"There's some kind of spell in here. If anyone comes in, the ceiling starts   
to drop."  
  
"Blast," Ursa growled, punching the stone in her frustration.  
  
"Wait a minute," Buddi said, dropping down on the other side of Ursa.   
"What were her words exactly?"  
  
"What does it matter?" Gruffi asked, slumping down in his restraints  
again.  
  
"Just humor me, please?"  
  
"I don't remember exactly," Gruffi admitted.  
  
"'If anyone steps foot inside this room except for me and my troggles,   
that mark will cause the ceiling to drop and crush everyone inside,'" Sunni  
recited, startling everyone.  
  
"That was what I was hoping for," Buddi said with a grin.  
  
"Now I get what you're thinking," Calla said, pulling an arrow from her  
quiver. "Ursa, can you get these bars off?" she asked as she began to tie a  
rope around the arrow's shaft.  
  
"Ah, I see what you're doing," Ursa said with a smile, pulling the bars  
from the window one by one. Like the rest of the dungeon, the stone walls   
were not that well taken care of so Ursa was having an easy time of it.  
  
As soon as the way was clear, Calla drew her bow and nocked the arrow.  
In one fluid motion, Calla drew the bowstring back, sighted her arrow, and  
let it fly. It whistled through the still and silent air until it struck home  
in the stones by the door. "The arrow can't hold all of us," she said as she  
tied the other end of the rope around a nearby rock and pulled it tight.   
"Which one of us is going?"  
  
"If you can trust me enough to help Cavin," Ursa said, looking Calla   
right in her eyes, "I'll trust you enough to hold the rope tight."  
  
Calla nodded firmly, then a smile touched her lips. "I think that's   
the first time I've ever heard you call him by name."  
  
Ursa paused a moment before she swung herself down through the narrow  
opening, ignoring Calla's comment. She travelled hand over hand along the   
rope until she was near Gruffi. "I can't reach him," she realized, gauging  
the distance between herself and Gruffi's manacles.  
  
Images began to flash through her mind unbidden. Lady Bane coming into  
the room unexpectedly. Lady Bane striking down Gruffi with one of her   
accursed spells. Lady Bane causing her to fall from the rope, paralyzed,  
unable to do anything but watch as the ceiling came down and crushed Gruffi.  
  
Ursa's heartrate began to pick up noticably, making her palms sweaty  
and making her grip on the rope falter slightly. "Pull yourself together!"  
her mind screamed at her as she tried to get a better grip on the rope. But  
it was to no avail as her fingers slipped and she fell from the rope.  
  
"Ursa!" Buddi cried as Calla leapt in after her, making a desperate   
grab for Ursa's hand even though he knew she was far out of reach.  
  
As soon as Ursa's feet touched the floor, the pentacle on the ceiling   
began to glow with an unholy light. Ursa was nearly knocked off her feet as   
the entire room shook. With a sickening lurch, the ceiling began to drop at   
an alarming rate. Ursa drew her sword and ran toward Gruffi, swinging her   
blade in a sweeping arc. The strength of her swing was so much that she cut   
through both of the chains holding his arms with just a single slice. "No   
time," she realized, aiming a second swing to free Gruffi's legs.  
  
Two arrows whizzed by her head, embedding themselves deep into the wall.  
Ursa looked up in surprise, her aborted swing barely glancing off the chains  
that held Gruffi's legs in place. The two arrows were wedged into the wall   
just under the falling ceiling. As Ursa watched, three more arrows joined   
them in a line. And when the ceiling reached the arrows, it grinded to a halt  
as the arrows stopped its descent.  
  
Calla turned in place, swiftly firing more arrows into the wall to   
replace the ones giving out under the strain. "I'm running out of arrows,"   
she warned as she fired yet another one. "Get them out of here now!"  
  
Ursa nodded and swung at Gruffi's chains again, separating them from   
the wall easily. Moving quickly, she freed Sunni and Cavin in quick   
succession. And just in time too as the last of Calla's arrows gave way under  
the ceiling's weight. Hoisting Gruffi up on her shoulder, she went to join   
Calla and Buddi, both of whom had helped their loves through the unlocked   
door.  
  
But then tragedy struck. Ursa's foot found a crack in the dungeon floor  
and she went sprawling, Gruffi and her sword flying from her grasp and out the   
door. Ursa tried to crawl the rest of the way, but the ceiling was dropping   
too fast. "At least everyone else is safe," she thought, feeling an odd calm  
wash over her as she waited for the end.  
  
But that end never came. She lifted her face from the floor and saw   
Gruffi with her sword, having wedged it between the floor and ceiling. "Come  
on," he said, his face contorted with the effort of keeping that sword in   
place.  
  
Ursa needed no further urging and quickly scrambled out the door.   
Gruffi fell back, exhausted, and was pulled to safety by Calla just as Ursa's  
sword snapped in two. The ceiling slammed into the floor seconds later,   
crushing everything left in that room to powder.  
  
"I guess being short...had its advantages this time," Gruffi joked,   
trying to catch his breath.  
  
"Of all the idiotic things to do!" Ursa growled, getting to her feet   
and hauling Gruffi up to her face. "Why did you risk your life like that?"  
  
"Why did you risk your life for me?" Gruffi retorted, trying to stare  
Ursa down.   
  
"Hey guys, come on," Cavin said calmly, trying to separate the two.   
"This is neither the time or place for this. Let's get out of here first and  
then you can settle this."  
  
"Or have you forgotten exactly what you need to settle?" Calla asked  
quietly. "What we all need to settle."  
  
Ursa blushed suddenly before letting Gruffi down to the ground. Gruffi  
looked up at Ursa's face in surprise. "I don't think she's ever looked more  
beautiful," he thought, which brought a blush to his cheeks. "Err, come on,"  
he said gruffly, trying to cover it up. "Let's get out of here before we're  
found out."  
  
"Too late," Buddi muttered, catching sight of a troggle scampering off  
toward the main gate. "Can you walk?" he asked Sunni, though the question   
was also directed to Cavin and Gruffi. They all nodded, though Sunni wobbled  
slightly on her feet. Buddi held her hand to help steady her, trying to   
ignore how it felt to be holding her hand. "Let's get going," he said, a soft  
smile on his face.  
  
Outside the castle, Lady Bane was getting a severe headache. She had   
expected this to be a simple exchange: her stone for her captives. But the  
level of mistrust between the two sides was palpable, and neither one could  
agree on the terms of transfer. Despite constant reassurances on both sides,  
both still expected a double cross. "Maybe if I just told them why I wanted  
the stone," she mused before turning her full attention back to the   
negotiations.  
  
But her focus was short-lived as a troggle came barrelling into her legs  
from behind, nearly knocking her down. "What is the meaning of this?"  
  
"Bears! Bears!" the troggle chattered, pointing back at the hallway   
he'd walked down.  
  
Lady Bane glanced down the direction the troggle was pointing and her  
eyes widened at the group of humans and bears that turned a corner. "How did  
you get away? I should've known this was all a trick!"  
  
"Now!" Grammi yelled, gulping down her vial of Gummiberry Juice. As  
soon as it took effect she bounced toward Lady Bane with Zummi, Tummi, and   
Gritty following close behind.  
  
Gritty was slightly nervous about this as he didn't have even a fraction  
of the experience the others had with the Juice. In fact, the only time he   
had tried it he had gone bouncing out of control until it had worn off. But  
this time there were no rocks for him to go careening off of. Just a straight  
line right into Lady Bane and her troggles.  
  
Lady Bane turned around just in time to be plowed into by a bouncing   
Tummi, his mass more than enough to knock her cleanly off her feet. The   
others had landed right in the midst of the troggles and their constant   
bouncing was confusing the troggles. They began to run into each other in   
their attempt to get away, and they ended up falling all over each other in   
their haste to get back into the castle.  
  
Ursa and the others ran right past them, but she did get in a few   
parting shots with the flat of her blade. "Come on," Gruffi said, trying  
to pull her away before she decided to chase after them.  
  
"Is everyone all right?" Zummi asked, running to meet them with the  
others of his group behind him.  
  
"We're all OK," Calla said, sheathing her sword after she too had gotten  
a few blows in on the troggles. "Let's get out of here before they regroup."  
  
"You're not going anywhere!" Lady Bane screeched from where she stood  
on the ground just past the drawbridge. She clutched her Gummi medallion  
tightly, chanting a few words too low for anyone to hear. Within seconds, the  
whole drawbridge began to vibrate, knocking everyone but her to their knees.  
"If you don't give me my stone right now, I'll send all of you into the moat!  
I'm sure my pet would love a late-night snack."  
  
"You send us in, you'll never get your stone!" Grammi yelled.  
  
"Do you think I really care anymore? I've had it with you, all of you!  
I'll give up the stone to get rid of you all if you don't hand it over right  
now!"  
  
"We have no choice Grammi!" Zummi yelled over the creaking of the   
bridge. "Throw her the Stone!"  
  
"I can't get a grip on it!" Grammi yelled back, trying to pull it from  
the pocket of her dress. With a hard tug, it came loose not only from her   
pocket but also her hand. "No!" she cried, watching it skitter toward the   
edge of the drawbridge, knowing that their chances of survival would shatter   
if the stone did.  
  
"I'll get it," Gritty set, struggling to his feet and diving toward the  
edge of the drawbridge where it teetered. But his dive was just a little too  
short and instead of grabbing it, his fingers actually pushed it off the edge.  
"Damn," Gritty yelled, watching it drop toward the moat below.  
  
But before it hit the water and was snapped up by the waiting serpent,  
a crimson-clad figure swung down on a rope and caught it, mere inches from   
being lost forever. He swung up and pushed off the castle's wall, reversing  
his direction until he came to land neatly by Lady Bane. "Is this what you're  
looking for?" he asked in a loud voice.  
  
"Cub--!" Grammi started before Zummi scooted over and clamped his hand  
over Grammi's mouth.  
  
"No Grammi," he whispered fiercely, able to be heard now that Lady Bane  
had dropped the spell on the bridge. "Cubbi's got the only chance of getting  
us out of here, and only if she doesn't find out who he really is!"  
  
Grammi glared at Zummi, but she knew he was right. "Please be safe,"   
she thought at Cubbi as if he could hear her.  
  
Lady Bane smirked widely. "Ah, so the hero returns," she said, taking  
a step toward him.   
  
"Hold it right there," Cubbi said, eyes glittering hard behind his mask.  
"One more step and I smash the stone."  
  
"You wouldn't dare, not while they're still in danger," she said,   
gesturing toward the Gummies and humans still on the bridge.  
  
Cubbi tried to outstare Lady Bane, but he ended up looking toward the   
ground slowly. "Fine," he said quietly, "take your stone."  
  
"Finally, a reasonable adversary," Lady Bane laughed, walking forward to  
claim her prize.  
  
Cubbi's head snapped up and he fixed Lady Bane with a mischievous grin.  
"Catch!" he called, throwing the stone high into the air.   
  
"My stone!" Lady Bane cried, reaching high for it. So intent was she   
on catching it that she didn't pay attention to the pull she felt at her   
waist. The stone fell harmlessly into her outstretched hand. "Finally, back  
where you belong," she said, bringing it to her face to examine it. "Ah,"   
she said, seeing the three hearts trapped within. "Now I see everything so  
clearly."  
  
"You've got your stone, so let them go!" Cubbi demanded.  
  
"You really think I'm going to let you leave alive after all the trouble  
you've put me through?" Lady Bane sneered, reaching for her medallion. But   
all her hand found was empty air. "My medallion!"  
  
"Looking for this?" Cubbi asked, showing her the medallion hanging from  
his wooden sword.  
  
"You little thief," Lady Bane said through clenched teeth. "Give that   
back!"  
  
"And just how do you plan on making me?" Cubbi asked, walking so that   
Lady Bane was facing away from everyone else, giving them the perfect chance  
to get away. "Without this you're powerless."  
  
"Not as powerless as you might think," she snarled, forming a fireball   
in her hand. Cubbi barely dodged out of the way as she threw it at his head.  
  
"Avenger!" Zummi called as they all hurried toward him. "Rumee flumect  
bumack!"  
  
"Rumee flumect bumack?" Cubbi repeated, pondering a moment too long as  
Lady Bane nearly struck him with another spell. Then he noticed his sword had  
taken on a light blue glow. "I see," he said, dropping down into an offensive  
stance.  
  
"This ends here!" Lady Bane growled, launching a large fireball at   
Cubbi.  
  
"How right you are," Cubbi said with a smile. He swung the flat of his  
sword at the spell. By all rights, the sword should have disintegrated on   
contact with the fireball. But the spell-reinforced sword actually rebounded  
the spell back at its caster.  
  
Lady Bane stared at it in surprise for a second until it engulfed her.  
Screaming, she dove into the moat to douse the flames, only to be pursued by  
her own moat monster. "No, stay away!" she screamed, swimming away.   
"Troggles!"  
  
"That showed her," Cubbi said, placing his sword back in his belt. He   
turned around to walk away and saw everyone standing behind him. "Umm, hi   
guys," he said, suddenly shy.  
  
"Cubbi Gummi," Grammi started, her face and voice as stern as ever. But  
then her face softened into a warm smile. "You have no idea how proud of you   
I am."  
  
"How proud we all are, Grammi," Zummi said, stepping up next to her   
and taking her hand in his.  
  
"You did all right, kid," Gruffi said, taking off Cubbi's hat and   
ruffling his hair. "Just don't let it go to your head, OK?"  
  
"You got it Gruffi," Cubbi said, smiling genuinely.  
  
"Well, we'd better get back, the sun's coming up."  
  
"The sun!" Ursa, Calla, and Buddi screamed together, looking toward the  
already lightening eastern horizon.  
  
"We're going to be dead when we get back," Cavin worried. "I mean, Sir  
Tuxford will probably throw me out on--" He was suddenly cut off by a   
helmetless Calla turning him around and laying a somewhat sloppy kiss on his  
lips.   
  
Cavin felt like his brain turned to mush and his heart exploded. His   
arms crept around her as he began to kiss her back, turning the kiss into   
something a lot more tender and meaningful. "But why...?" he whispered when  
he had the chance.  
  
"Because I love you," Calla whispered back, tears glimmering in her  
eyes.  
"Well it's about time," Sunni said as they continued to kiss. "You   
wouldn't believe how long she's been wanting--" Just as Cavin had been, she  
was now cut off by a kiss from Buddi. She was able to recover from the shock   
more quickly than Cavin had, however, and was soon kissing back with equal   
emotion. "Does this mean you love me too?"   
  
"I have since we met," Buddi said, interlacing her fingers with his own.  
  
"It's now or never," Gritty said, nudging Ursa toward Gruffi.  
  
Ursa glared back at Gritty, but saw just how light the eastern sky was   
getting and stepped over to Gruffi. "What has gotten into them?" he   
wondered in a low voice, unaware that Ursa could hear him. "Next thing you   
know, Ursa will come over here, admit she loves me like I love her, and kiss   
me."  
  
"You took the words right out of my mouth," Ursa said, picking Gruffi  
up and turning him to her. She took advantage of the look of utter surprise  
on his face and kissed him deeply, her tongue darting out to caress his. He  
stayed stunned for a long moment, and Ursa was afraid that maybe the stone had  
been wrong. But then she felt his arms wrap around her neck as he returned   
her kiss.   
  
"Just in time," Zummi said as the sun began peeking over the horizon.   
  
"Just in time for what?" Cavin asked breathlessle as his lips parted  
from Calla's.  
  
"If you hadn't acknowledged and affirmed your loves, that stone would  
have destroyed them forever."  
  
"Not how I wanted you to find out," Calla admitted, wiping a bit of  
lipstick from Cavin's lips. "But maybe I wouldn't have told you for a long  
while if this hadn't happened."  
  
"I think we all have something to talk about," Gruffi said, separating  
from Ursa reluctantly.   
  
"Can't we just enjoy the sunrise for now and worry about that later?"  
Sunni asked, turning her face toward the east.  
  
Everyone nodded and, couple or single, all watched the sunrise and   
felt filled with a hope for the future that in some of them had never been  
present before. 


End file.
